Chusetts



(No Model.) v

W. 'P. HOBSON & H. A..BAGLE'Y.

CUTTING BOOT AND SHOE UPPERS. V No. 293.964: Patented Feb.- 19', 1884.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. HOBSON AND HIBAM A. BAGLEY, OF HAVERHILL, MASSA- CHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN L. HOBSON AND FRED B. KINGSBURY, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CUTTING BOOT AND SHOE UPPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,964, dated February 19, 1884.

Application filed April 14, 1883. (No model.)

.pers of boots and shoes, whereby a saving both of time and material will be effected.

To this end the invention consists in first preparing a blank of proper form, then cutting a piece of material into two equal parts along a line having the form of the blank, that when the parts are severed, each will be a reversed fac-simile of the other, two edges being formed by a single cut, and each edge hav ing projections fitting into corresponding recesses in the other edge, so that the material is economized, all of which we will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent different forms of upper, illustrating our method of cutting.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the ,figures.

In carrying out our invention we take a piece, a, of leather or other suitable material, of such shape and size that it may be divided to form two parts pertaining to boot or shoe uppers. We then prepare a blank or pattern of such shape that two of such blanks may be cut with coinciding edges and with but little, if any, waste from the piece a, and then divide the piece a into two equal parts, 6 6, along the line z j, said line forming two edges, each of which is a reversed facsimile of the other, so that when the parts 6 e are separated and one of said parts is turned end to end and laid beside the other the edges formed on both pieces by cutting as described will exactly match or coincide with each other. The line 'i j is variously curved so as to form one or more projections on each piece and a corresponding recess on the other piece. The formation of said line will vary according to the pattern of the boot or shoeto which the parts 6 e pertain. The form shown in Fig. 1 produces a'series of tongues, ff, and a corresponding series of recesses on each piece. Each of the pieces 6 shown in Fig. 1 constitutes one-half of an entire upper, and comprises the half-quarter qand the half-vamp 1).

Figs. 2 and 3 show each two pieces, divided like the piece shown in Fig. 1, but comprising only two half-quarters, q q, the upper being completed by the addition of a quarter formed in another piece. When the parts 66 are made up in. a boot or shoe, the tongues ff cross the instep, and are secured together by buttons or other suitable fastenings, the intermediate recesses displaying the stocking and giving a pleasing effect to the boot or shoe. Fig. 4 shows the material divided into two pieces, 6 6, each comprising a half-quarter, q, and a whole vamp, o 0. Each piece, therefore, with a suitable half-quarter added, will constitute an entire boot, which may be laced or fastened at the side or front.

The edges of the pieces 6 6 other than those formed by the dividing line 1; j may be trimmed either separately or by the same operation that forms the said dividing-line. We prefer to use a die that will entirely form both pieces eby a single operation.

It will be seen that by our improved method we avoid any waste of material between the parts 6 e.

WVe claim- The within-described improvement in cut ting uppers, consisting in dividing a piece of stock of suitable size for two portions upon an irregular line, i j, substantially as described, into two like sections each, thereby constructing without further shaping a portion of the upper.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of April, 1883.

WILLIAM I. HOBSON. HIRAM A. BAGLEY. 

